The Food and Drug Administration on Monday announced approval for the first generic version of Nexium (esomeprazole magnesium delayed-release capsules), which are used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease in adults and children ages 1 year and older.

There is as much as $10 billion in branded pharmaceutical sales that could make the switch from prescription-only to over-the counter in the next five years, suggested Joseph Papa, Perrigo chairman, CEO and president, to analysts on Tuesday.

Business for OTC store brands is expected to boom in the coming year, Perrigo chairman and CEO Joseph Papa told analysts discussing the private-label manufacturer's first quarter results during a conference call Wednesday, even as the growth rate across the entire OTC category slows.

Procter & Gamble’s Prilosec OTC still is the best-selling antacid on the market, with more than $252.7 million in annual sales for the 52 weeks ended July 8 across food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart), followed by fellow proton-pump inhibitor Novartis’ Prevacid 24HR ($104.1 million).

Topco, a member-owned cooperative serving the food industry, recently kicked off an initiative substituting its TopCare-branded over-the-counter medicines for the equivalent prescription pharmaceutical, where appropriate, in an effort to save patient dollars and promote the TopCare brand.

Studies have indicated that proton-pump inhibitors, used for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease, reduce the efficacy of a popular blood-thinning drug, but Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America announced on Tuesday the results of a new study indicating that its own PPIs may have less of an effect.

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